Railroad-switch.



PATENTED OUT. 16, 1906. A. W. dz H. H. TUCKER.

RAILROAD SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JAN.13, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARGYLE W. TUCKER AND'HUGH H. TUCKER, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

FZAILROADESWITGH- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Qct. :16, 1906.

Application filed January 13,1906. Serial N0.-'295,936.

To all whom iii-may concern:

Be it known that we, ARGYLE W. TUCKER and HUGH H. TUCKER, citizens of the United States, residing at Dallas, in thecounty of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad-switches,

and is especially designed with reference to street-railways and surburban lines, the obj ect of the invention b'eingto provide simple, reliable, and novel switch-operating mechanism which is tripped by means of a suitable device or devices carried by the car and under the ready control of the motorman, who by proper manipulation of the tripping device may shift the switch in either direction without stopping the car or train.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the switchshifting mechanism is looked after the same is thrown in either direction.

With the above and other object in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a railway, taken adjacent to a switch and illustrating the switch-operating mechanism and also showing a portion of a car and the switchoperating device carried thereby. Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the switch-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-section on the line 3 8 of Fig. 2, showing the locking mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the flanged connecting-bar.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 1 designate the main-track rails, and 2 the switch-rails, one of which is pivotally mounted at one end,

as shown at 3, the other end being left free tomove toward and away from the adjacent main rail 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The mechanism for shifting the pivoted switch-rails comprises a shifting-lever 4, which is mounted at an intermediate point on a fulcrum pin or bolt 5. At one end the lever 4 is provided with an arrow-head 6, comprising the reversely-inclined working faces 7 and 8, which converge and terminate in a common point 9, said head being adapted to be operated upon by one or more tripping devices mounted on the car. The other I end of the shiftinglever 4 is made-relatively ing 11 to receive an upstanding pin 12, carried by one end of a connecting-bar 13, the

opposite end of which is provided with lugs or cars 14, between which a portion of the pivoted switch-rail is received. By the con struction described as the lever 4 is vibrated corresponding movement is imparted to the pivoted switch-rail through the medium of the connecting-bar 1 3 forthe purpose of opening or closing the switch.

A suitable supporting-frame for the switchshifting mechanism is provided, consisting of the parallel side bars 15 and the connecting cross-bars 16, one of said bars 16 carrying the fulcrum pin or bolt 5, above referred to. The other cross-bar 16 is provided with an upstanding lug or projection 17, adapted to fit into one or the other of a pair of slots or notches 18 in the tailpiece 11 of the lever 4, the parts 17 and 18 forming locking means for holding the lever in either of the adjusted positions with the pivoted switch-rail open or closed, as the case may be. The lug or projection 17 is preferably beveled, so as to allow the tailpiece of the'lever to slip over the same when suflicient pressure is brought to bear on the lever.

The tripping mechanism carried by the car consists of a pair of vertically-movable rods or standards 19, having journaled on their lower ends wheels or rollers 20, either one of which is adapted to come in contact with the arrow-head 6 of the lever 4;. The

standards 19 extend upward through suitable bearings mounted on the car and are provided at their upper ends with foot-pieces 21 and are upheld by means of supportingsprings 22. The springs sustain the rollers or shoes 20 normally above the plane of the switch-lever 4; but the arrangement is such that when the motorman depresses one of said rollers or shoes it comes in contact with one'of the inclined working faces 7 or 8 of the head 6 of the lever, and in the forward movement of the car said lever is rocked in one direction or the other according to which shoe or roller 20 is in operation. 6 is located considerably in advance of the point of the switch, so that the switch is thrown before the advance wheels of the car come in contact with the switch-rails. It will thus be seen that the switch-shifting The arrow-head IIO mechanism is entirely under the control of I the motorman, who by selecting the proper tripping device may either throw the switch open or closed without the necessity of stopping the car.

The head of the lever 4 may be provided with an antifriction-roller, as indicated by dotted lines at 23 in Fig. 2, to relieve friction between the trip-shoes or rollers 20 and the head of the lever.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim is 1. In a railroad-switch, the combination with a pivoted switch-rail, of a shifting-lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends on the roadbed, one arm of said lever being connected with the pivoted switch-rail, and the other arm of said lever having an arrow-shaped head, a tailpiece on said lever having a plurality of slots, a fixed projection adapted to engage said slots to lock the lever when shifted, and a tripping device carried bythe car and adapted to cooperate with the head of the shifting-lever.

-2. In a railroad-switch, the combination with a pivoted switch-rail, of a shifting-lever inlcrumed intermediate its ends between the rails, a connecting-bar interposed between said lever and the switch-rail, a tailpiece on said lever having parallel slots, a fixed projection adapted to engage said slots to lock the lever when shifted, an arrow-head at the opposite end of said lever, and a plurality of tripping devices carried by the car and adapted to cooperate with opposite sides of said head.

In testimony whereof we afiiX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ARGYLE W. TUCKER. HUGH H. TUCKER.

Witnesses:

H. W. SUMMERS, S. H. ATTEBERY. 

